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Google+ just got a new killer app: Google Search

January 11, 2012 | Online Marketing

Google has begun to integrate Google+ posts, pages and profiles into its Google.com search results. The move is meant to personalize search, and offers some interesting opportunities for content discovery – but first and foremost, it’s gonna be a big boost for Google+ itself.

The new Google+ search integration comes with a kind of on-off switch, making it possible to switch back and forth between the classic Google view of the world and a more personalized version. Users who opt for the personal approach will get to see relevant posts from the people they have added to their circles as well as pages from brands and celebrities relevant to their search results.

Google has also added Google+ profiles to its auto-complete results. Search for a name, and a direct link to a person’s Google+ profile will show up after entering just a few letters. This works for both people you’ve added to your circles as well as blog authors and others that are part of Google’s authorship pilot program, and whose Google+ headshots have been showing up in search results for a while.

This kind of tight integration of Google+ and Google’s search is a remarkable step for the company, because it once again shows how Google+ is becoming a centerpiece of its web strategy. But more importantly, it could give Google+ a huge boost and finally help the social network to catch up with millions of consumers that have been holding out on giving it a try. I’d suspect there will be two key factors driving a sharp uptake of Google+ usage as personalized search becomes available to everyone: Photos and celebrities.

Get the full story at GigaOM

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